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Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Descriptions
CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE

57.001:  Social Insurance for Railroad Workers

Objectives:  To pay rail social security, rail industry pensions, Federal windfall benefits, supplemental annuities, permanent and occupational disability, and sickness and unemployment benefits to workers and their families.

PROGRAM AND AWARD FINANCIAL AND INFORMATION CONTACTS
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO.
APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS INFORMATION CONTACTS
RELATED PROGRAMS ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS
PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS

57.001 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:  Under the Railroad Retirement Act, for employee, spouse and survivor benefits the employee must have had 10 or more years of railroad service. For survivors to be eligible for benefits, the employee must also have been insured at death. Under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, an employee must have earned at least $2,312.50 in railroad wages in calendar year 1998, $2,425.00 in calendar year 1999 and $2,512.50 in calendar year 2000 (counting no more than $925 in any month in calendar year 1998, $970 in calendar year 1999 and $1,005 in calendar year 2000) and, if a new employee, must have worked for a railroad at least 5 months in a calendar (base) year to be a qualified employee in the applicable benefit year.

Beneficiary Eligibility:  Individuals, families, pension recipients.

Credentials/Documentation:  Proof of age for retirement benefits; proof of marriage for spouse's or survivor's benefits; medical evidence for disability or sickness benefits; registration for proof of unemployment; proof of relationship; proof of military service; and other proofs as required by law.

57.001 APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS:

Preapplication Coordination:  None. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure:  Application for retirement, disability, survivor, unemployment or sickness benefits should be made to any office of the Railroad Retirement Board.

Award Procedure:  The Office of Programs makes awards under the Railroad Retirement Act and the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act.

Deadlines:  Benefits not payable earlier than specified period prior to application, varying with type of benefits; insurance lump-sum death payments application deadline is two years after employee's death. Applicants may contact any Railroad Retirement Board Office to obtain information relative to a specific type of benefit administered under the Railroad Retirement Act or the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:  Varies depending upon complexity of claim.

Appeals:  Initial appeals are made to the Bureau of Hearings and Appeals. Subsequent appeals from initial determinations may be made to the Board and ultimately to the U.S. Court of Appeals.

Renewals:  Not applicable.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals:  Not applicable.

Examples of Funded Projects:  Not applicable.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  (1) Employee age annuities-monthly maximum $2,605, average $1,300; (2) employee disability-monthly maximum $2,575, average $1,398; (3) employee supplemental annuities-monthly maximum $70, average $43; (4) spouse benefits-monthly maximum $1,241, average $519; (5) widows and widowers monthly maximum $2,005, average $789; (6) widowed mothers and fathers monthly maximum $1,658, average $991; (7) children-monthly maximum $1,473, average $659; (8) unemployment and sickness-weekly maximum for benefit year 2000 to 2001 $240, expected average $240.

57.001 RELATED PROGRAMS:

  • 17.225 Unemployment Insurance;
  • 17.302 Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation;
  • 93.773 Medicare: Hospital Insurance;
  • 93.774 Medicare: Supplementary Medical Insurance;
  • 96.001 Social Security: Disability Insurance;
  • 96.002 Social Security: Retirement Insurance;
  • 96.003 Social Security: Special Benefits for Persons Aged 72 and Over;
  • 96.004 Social Security: Survivors Insurance.

57.001 PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

In fiscal year 1999, benefits were paid to an estimated 777,000 retirees and their families, survivors of deceased railroad workers, and unemployed or sick railroad workers. Under the provisions of the Railroad Retirement Act, in fiscal year 1999, there were 38,566 applications for benefits and 37,479 awards made. Under the provisions of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, in benefit year 1998 to 1999, there were 42,083 applications for benefits and 32,043 beneficiaries paid.

57.001 FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO:

Federal Agency:  RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD

Type of Assistance:  Direct Payments with Unrestricted Use.

Obligations:  (Benefit Payments) FY 99 $8,342,000,000; FY 00 est $8,431,000,000; and FY 01 est $8,513,000,000.

Budget Account Number:  60-8011-0-7-601; 60-8010-0-7-601; 60-8012-0-7-601; 60-8051-0-7-603; 60-0111-0-1-601; 60-0113-0-1-601.

Authorization:  Social Security Act of 1935, as amended, Public Law 74-271, 49 Stat. 620, 42 U.S.C. 7, Subchapter 2; Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, as amended, Public Law 75-722, 52 Stat. 1094, 45 U.S.C. 351-367; Railroad Retirement Act of 1974, as amended, Public Law 93-445, 88 Stat. 1305, 45 U.S.C. 231-231u.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature:  A series of free leaflets is available from the Office of Public Affairs, Railroad Retirement Board.

57.001 INFO CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:  Colorado: Louis E. Austin, 1999 Broadway, Suite 3300 Box 7, Denver, CO 80202-5737, Phone: (303) 844-0800; Georgia: Patricia Lawson, 401 W. Peachtree St., Suite 1703, Atlanta, GA 30365-2550, Phone: (404) 331-2691; Pennsylvania: Richard D. Baird, Nix Federal Bldg., 9th and Market Streets, Suite 304, Philadelphia, PA 19107-4228. Phone: (215) 597-2646.

Headquarters Office:  Public Affairs, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, Chicago, IL 60611-2092. Phone: (312) 751-4777, Contact: William Poulos.

(See Appendix IV for more contact info.)

57.001 ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:  Not applicable.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:  Not applicable.

Uses and Use Restrictions:  Under the provisions of the Railroad Retirement Act and the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, benefits are provided for: (1) workers who retire because of age or disability; including supplemental annuities for long-service employees; (2) eligible spouses and divorced spouses of retired employees; (3) surviving widows, widowers, divorced spouses, children, and dependent parents of deceased employees; (4) unemployed workers; and (5) workers who are sick or injured. In addition, the Railroad Retirement Board participates in the administration of the Federal medical health insurance program for the aged and the disabled, which covers railroad retirement beneficiaries on the same basis as other eligible persons.

57.001 POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:  Various conditions explained on the benefit application certification form as affecting eligibility, e.g., earnings, marriage, divorce, recovery from disability, return to employer service, should be reported.

Audits:  Not applicable.

Records:  Not applicable.

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Last Updated, November, 2000             Comments or Questions?           ©Grant Community.com 2000, All Rights Reserved